Pneumatically operated table game



Dec. 10, 1963 E. ROMEI 3,113,776

PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED TABLE GAME Filed Nov. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1alia fsa Dec. 10, 1963 E. ROME! 3,113,776

PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED TABLE GAME Filed Nov. 9, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Dec. 10, 1963 E. RoMEl 3,113,776

PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED TABLE GAME Filed Nov. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5,van

Patented Dee. lll, i963 3,113,776 PNEUMATEQALLY @PERAED TABLE GAME Eziollltomei, Via Guido Cavalcanti 26, Florence, Italy iled Nov. 9, E961,Ser. No. ll,39l Claims priority, application Italy Nov. 16, 1960 5Claims. (Cl. 273-85) The present invention relates to a pneumatic tablegame. The game simulates a football or soccer game. When using thisdevice, the sltill or ability of the player prevails completely over theeffects of chance.

The table game device, according to the invention, comprises, inpositions pre-established on the game or playing surface upon which theball is to be played, a plurality of orientable air blast units, each ofwhich is provided with a nozzle operatively associated with remoteplayer-controlled means to provide a slight suction or, alternatively,an air blast or jet of short duration to propel the ball, each unitbeing capable of being oriented in the desired direction by means of thesame player-operated controls.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the deviceincludes a compressor unit with an air intake or suction manifold, thesuction being operative simultaneously at all of the orientable jets ornozzles of the game device, while at the outlet or delivery side of thepneumatic unit, the air blast is given each time to one or more nozzleswhich are selectively operated by the players, the air blast beingautomatically timed to be of short duration.

In order to obtain the controlled air flow, there is inserted in apressurized conduit or passage designed to feed or supply each nozzie, aslide valve individually controlled by the player to interrupt thesuction connection and open the pressurized passage, and a timing valveincluding a ball which is movable through a predetermined stroke from alower open position to an upper closed position. The ball of the timingvalve moves vertically along a passage which is provided with channelmeans or the like to by-pass a portion of the pressurized air ilowingtowards the nozzle, during the short interval while the valve ball isentrained by the air stream urging the ball to the valve closingposition.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings whereinan embodiment is disclosed which simulates a game of soccer or footballwith the associated goals and goal-keepers.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a table embodying the game.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the table of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation taken along the lineIll- III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom View taken along the line IV-IV of FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the timing valve taken alongthe line V-V of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation taken along the lineVI-Vl of FlG. 2.

FlG. 7 is an enlarged sectional View taken along the line VII-VII ofFIG. 2.

FIG, 8 illustrates a fragmentary plan sectional view taken along theline VIII-V lll or" FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 illustrates, in axial section, an enlarged detail of a controlknob for thc air nozzle shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation taken along the lineXX of FIG. 2 showing one of the goal positions.

FIG. ll is a sectional view in elevation taken along the line XI-X otFIG. l0.

FIG. 12 is a plan sectional view taken along the line XII- XH of FIG.l1.

A base l (FIG. l) is provided with an upper structure 2 which providesthe boundaries or upstanding side members for a game or playing area 3.The playing area 3 is covered by a smooth plate 3a forming the playingsurface. In the central portion of the playing surface plate 3a there isa hole for a vertically reciprocable plunger 5 (FIGS. 2 and 6) of a ballfeeding mechanism controlled through a pair of levers 6o, 6b eachpivoted intermediate its ends at 6c, ad under the playing area 3. Thelever 6b is actuated by a spring-pressed push button 7 which is locatedin one side of the upper structure 2. By pressing the button 7, theplunger 5 is lowered permitting it to receive a playing ballgravitationally fed by an inclined channel 8. When the push button '7 isreleased, the plunger :'5 is raised to the level of the playing surface3a, bringing a ball along therewith.

In various positions distributed over the playing surface 3a, there areprovided rotational seats for a plurality of players positions, asindicated generally by 9 in FlG. 2. The players positions are dividedinto two groups, one for each team, and a manual control is coordinatedwith each players position. Fach players position includes a rotatableair nozzle unit. Each players position j includes a bushing ld for arotatable tu- ,i duct irember il, which is provided with a flange lla,rotatably retained by a ring Z in engagement with the lower end ofbushing The tubular member ll terminates its upper end in a nozzle 34.3,bent to direct an air blast horizontally and substantially parallel tothe ying surface T e nozzle i3 is provided with a :air of curved guidemembers a, which extend horizontally (FIG. 4). At its lower end, thetubular member fl engaged through a rotary seal joint ld with a valvehousing l5, which includ-cs a scat 15a (FIG. 3) for a slide valveplunger le; the cooperation between the seat in and the plunger le, withthe displacement thereof, ailo'ivs the selective connection or" thepassage of the tubular member il either normally with suction connectionl? (in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3), or with an air pressureconnection il@ in the displaced position of plunger ln the arrangementof FIG. 3, there is normally communication between the nozzle 13 and asuction hose i9 which extends to a common suction manifold 2li (FlG. 7),connected to a compressor unit 2l. An air pressure bose 22 is connectedto the valve connection and extends to a pressure manifold Z3 ol thecompressor unit El, through a common timing valve 24 designed to limitthe duration of the air jet issuing rom the nozzle i3 when the plungerlo has been moved from its normal position shown in FIG. 3, to itsactuated position regardless of how long the plunger lo may remain inthe actuated position. For this purpose, the valve Z4 includes avertical passage 24a provided with sid-.e grooves 2dr/ or equivalent1:Jy-passages, between a lower zone where there is a stop member 24C andan upper zone having a valve seat 24d; a relatively light ball 2deserves as a valve body and the ball 24e may move vertically along thepassage 2da between the stop iember 24C and the valve seat 24d, whichmay be eilectively closed by engagement with the valve ball 24e. In thearrangement of FlG. 3 there is normally a slight suction at each nozzlei3, the suction being distributed simultaneously among all the nozzlesof the several players positions. Upon displacement of the plunger 16 ofa particular players position, the air pressure in the manifold Z3provides a relatively strong air stream in the circuit formed by thepassage 2da with the associated grooves Zlib, the hose 22, the valveconnection l, valve passages at lila, l5, the rotatable tubular memberll and the nozzle 13. This relatively powerful air stream also causesupward movement` of the valve ball 2de to the seat 24d, with anappropriate delay determined by the weight of the ball and thecross-section of the passage 2da, in addition to the free by-pass areain the zone of the side channels 2412. When the valve ball de hasreached the upper position, the air jet is shut off. Upon restoration tothe normal condition of FIG. 3, the upward air ilow is stopped and thevalve ball 2de drops to rest on the stop member 24e. Therefore, it isnecessary to actuate the plunger l@ each time a short air jet isdesired. The blast from any one jet must be spaced in the time from theblast from any preceding jet or iets. lt is to be noted that as the airstreams issuing from the several nozzles are of only short duration andintermittent, these jets are very powerful and the arrangement of theplay positions on the play surface 3a is such that any zone of theplaying surface 3a may be reached by the air jet of at least one nozzle.n the other hand, the suction is distributed throughout all of theplayers positions, and the suction is comparatively weak. Each unit, ofwhich a nozzle 13 is a part, may be provided with a ligure or shape of aplayer, designed to also indicate in an easily visible manner thedirection of orientation of the nozzle i3 which may be varied asdescribed below.

ln order to direct a nozzle at a players position, a liexible cable 26is wound around the tubular member 1l thereof. Cable 26 has one of itsends secured to a tension spring 26a and the other end connected to anamplifying lever 27 pivoted at 27a under the area 3. A second cable 28is connected to the lever Z7 at a position closer to the pivot 27a thanthe cable 26. The cable 28 is enclosed in a sheath 23a, one end of whichis connected at 28]: (FG. 9) to a sleeve 29. The cable 28 is iixed to aslider 2SC slidably in a longitudinally extending seat 29a of the sleeve29. A tube 3h is xedly connected to the sleeve 29 (FG. 9) and tube 3@ isaxially slidable in a bushing 3l but is held against rotation by a plugSila, sliding in slots Sla. By means of the plug 30a, a compressionspring 32 urges the tube 30 towards the left as viewed in FIG. 9. Asmall tube 33 xed to a knob 33a is axially linked but is rotatable inthe unit 29, 30; the slider 28C is engaged with a pin 28d in a helicalgroove 39h of the tube 39. By turning the knob 33a, the slider 28C ismoved and through this, one controls, through the cables 23 and 26, theorientation of the associated nozzle 13. By moving the knob 33a with themembers 29, 3i? in the axial direction, one controls a cable 34 locatedin the sheath 34a, and said cable is arranged to actuate the air valveplunger 16.

At each end of the playing area, there is provided a laterally movableand orientable nozzle which is designed for the protection and guard ofone of the goals. For this purpose, there is provided a laterallyslidable unit including a movable slide 35, controlled by a link 36, anda pin 36a guided in a helical channel 37a of a sleeve 37, actuable byrotation of a knob 37b similar to the knobs 33a. The slide 3S carries anozzle 3S. The nozzle 33 may be shifted laterally but is not completelyrotatable. The nozzle 3i) is moved laterally by the slide 35. Thelimited rotation is controlled by a sheathed cable 39, which, againstthe action of a compression spring, is actuated by a control lever 39a.A cable 40, controlled by the knob 37b, in a manner similar to thecables 34, serves to control an air valve with which each goal nozzle 38is provided like the nozzles i3. Therefore, the nozzle 3d, which servesfor protection of the goal, may be moved laterally along the front ofthe goal and may be angularly oriented through a restricted angleinstead of 360. Suitable centering springs (not shown) serve to resetthe nozzle 3S at the middle of the goal when the knob 37b is released bythe layer.

Beyond the ends of the held defined by the playing surface 3a, there isprovided an inclined ramp 4l which receives and conveys the balls whichroll beyond the held limits towards a recess 41a from which they may becollected and returned to the playing surface by act1 ation of a plungerd2, vertically movable in a passage extending downwar -ly from thesurface 3 and operated at the outside of the upper structure 2 by alever d3; in this manner, each ball which has rolled beyond the eldlimits may be brought back into the game at a position in which the goalnozzle 33 may hold it by suction and, by an appropriate action by theplayer, propel the ball into play. rthe upper end of the plunger 42 isflush with the playing surface 3a like the ball feeding plunger 5.

The several knobs 33a and 37b are appropriately spaced in such a manneras to permit play either by a single player for each team or by severalplayers for each team.

The above described game device permits, by skillful operation for themanual controls, the ball to be directed into the goal of the opposingteam. To do this, however, the ball must escape disturbing air blastsproduced by the player or players controlling the air blast units of theother team. rEhe short duration of each air blast makes the gameparticularly attractive. The game requires a precise timing in additionto accurate directional control of the particular nozzle. The suctioneffect at each nozzle 13 or 38 provides a return or stop action of theball permitting it to be directed in the desired direction and propelledin the selected direction at the appropriate moment. The curved guidemembers 13a, form lateral deecting arms which direct a ball whichbounces against them towards the mouth of the nozzle.

The apparatus has been illustratively shown and described in connectionwith a soccer or football game. It may be adapted for other games inwhich a ball is propelled over a playing surface.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be the bestembodiments of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in theart that various changes and modications may be made therein Withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as dened in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A table football game device, comprising: means defining ahorizontally disposed game surface; a plurality of upstanding sidemembers peripherally surrounding said game surface; a plurality ofsymmetrically spaced playing assemblies mounted on said device andextending upwardly above said game surface, each playing assembly beingrotatable about a substantially vertical axis and including a playersligure, a substantially horizontal nozzle, a pair of laterally andforwardly extending guide members symmetrically ilanking said nozzle,and a nozzle fitting coupled to and extending axially downwardly fromsaid nozzle through said game surface; operating means for individuallyrotating each of said assemblies; control means connected to each ofsaid operating means and accessibly projecting from said side members;an air compressor; a suction manifold and a pressure manifold having avalve ball coupled to said compressor; an air distributor coupled toeach assembly; operating means for said air distributor includingcontrol means accessibly projecting from said side members; a suctionduct and a pressure duct connecting each of said assemblies to saidsuction and pressure manifolds, respectively; an elongated verticallydisposed chamber member interposed between said pressure duct and saidpressure manifold valve ball; a shutter movable in said chamber memberby air flowing upwardly therethrough, said chamber having a restrictedoutlet at its upper end closable by said valve ball to provide an airpressure blast of limited quantity and duration; each air distributorhaving a normal rest position providing a constant suction through itsconnected nozzle; a goalkeeper nozzle assembly mounted at each end ofsaid game surface and rotatable about a vertically disposed axis; meansmounting said goalkeeper assembly for lateral sliding movement across agoal area of said game surface; and externally operable means forraising a playing ball upwardly through said game surface.

2. A game device according to claim 1, wherein said operating andcontrol means for said assemblies and said air distributors include aplurality of slidable and rotatable knobs, a flexible drive from eachknob to each distributor, said distributor including a slidably movablevalve element, said flexible drive transmitting axial movement to saidvalve element; a Wire drive rotatably coupling said knob to eachrotatable assembly; and a helical coupling means between said knob andsaid Wire drive to rotate said assembly through rotation of said knob.

3. A table football game device, comprising; means defining ahorizontally disposed game surface; upstanding side members peripherallysurrounding said game surface; a plurality of symmetrically spacedplayer assemblies mounted on said device and extending upwardly abovesaid game surface, each player assembly being rotatable about asubstantially vertical axis and including a players figure, asubstantially horizontal nozzle, a pair of guide members symmetricallyanking said nozzle, and a rotatable nozzle fitting coupled to andextending axially downwardly from said nozzle through said game surface;rotation control means for each assembly having operating portionsexternally projecting from said side members; an air compressor; asuction manifold and a pressure manifold coupled to said compressor; anair distributor coupled to each player assembly; control means havingoperating portions accessibly projecting from said side members; asuction duct and a pressure duct connecting each air distributor to saidsuction and pressure manifolds, respectively; an elongated verticallydisposed chamber member of non-circular cross-section interposed betweensaid pressure duct and said pressure manifold, said chamber memberhaving a restricted outlet at its upper end and a closure member movableby air lowing upwardly through said chamber member so as to close saidoutlet and thereby limit each air blast to a predetermined quantity andduration; a separate player assembly at each end of said game surfacecorresponding in appearance to a goalkeeper, means mounting saidgoalkeeper assembly for lateral movement in addition to its rotationalmovement; and means accessible from the exterior of said game device forlaterally moving said goalkeeper assembly.

4. A table football game device, comprising: means defining ahorizontally disposed game surface; upstanding side members peripherallysurrounding said game surface; a plurality of symmetrically spacedplaying assemblies mounted on said device and extending upwardly abovesaid game surface, each playing assembly being rotatable about asubstantially vertical axis and including a players figure, asubstantially horizontal nozzle, deflecting profiles carried by andsymmetrically flanking said nozzle, and an air distributor operable toproduce an air blast; manual control means for each assembly and itsassociated air distributor; an air compressor; a suction manifold and apressure manifold coupled to said compressor; a suction duct and apressure duct extending from each air distributor to said respectivemanifold; an elongated vertically disposed chamber member interposedbetween each pressure duct and said pressure manifold, said chambermember having a restricted outlet at its upper end and a closure membermovable by air flowing upwardly through said chamber member so as toclose said outlet and thereby restrict the air blasts each to apredetermined quantity and duration; a separate player assembly at eachend of said game surface corresponding in appearance to a goalkeeper;means mounting said goalkeeper assembly for lateral movement in additionto its rotational movement; and control means for laterally moving saidgoalkeeper assembly.

5. A game device according to claim 4,` wherein said manual controlmeans for each playing assembly and each associated air distributorincludes a slidable and rotatable knob, a iiexible drive connecting saidknob to a movable part of said air distributor to transmit axialmovement of the former to the latter, a wire drive for rorating saidassembly, and a helical coupling between said knob and said wire drivefor rotating said assembly through rotation of said knob.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 16,142 GreatBritain 1909 272,624 Great Britain lune 22, 1927 408,862 Great BritainApr. 19, 1934 485,492 Italy Oct. 13, 1953 508,525 Italy June 10, 1955

1. A TABLE FOOTBALL GAME DEVICE, COMPRISING: MEANS DEFINING AHORIZONTALLY DISPOSED GAME SURFACE; A PLURALITY OF UPSTANDING SIDEMEMBERS PERIPHERALLY SURROUNDING SAID GAME SURFACE; A PLURALITY OFSYMMETRICALLY SPACED PLAYING ASSEMBLIES MOUNTED ON SAID DEVICE ANDEXTENDING UPWARDLY ABOVE SAID GAME SURFACE, EACH PLAYING ASSEMBLY BEINGROTATABLE ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS AND INCLUDING A PLAYER''SFIGURE, A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL NOZZLE, A PAIR OF LATERALLY ANDFORWARDLY EXTENDING GUIDE MEMBERS SYMMETRICALLY FLANKING SAID NOZZLE,AND A NOZZLE FITTING COUPLED TO AND EXTENDING AXIALLY DOWNWARDLY FROMSAID NOZZLE THROUGH SAID GAME SURFACE; OPERATING MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALLYROTATING EACH OF SAID ASSEMBLIES; CONTROL MEANS CONNECTED TO EACH OFSAID OPERATING MEANS AND ACCESSIBLY PROJECTING FROM SAID SIDE MEMBERS;AN AIR COMPRESSOR; A SUCTION MANIFOLD AND A PRESSURE MANIFOLD HAVING AVALVE BALL COUPLED TO SAID COMPRESSOR; AN AIR DISTRIBUTOR COUPLED TOEACH ASSEMBLY; OPERATING MEANS FOR SAID AIR DISTRIBUTOR INCLUDINGCONTROL MEANS ACCESSIBLY PROJECTING FROM SAID SIDE MEMBERS; A SUCTIONDUCT AND A PRESSURE DUCT CONNECTING EACH OF SAID ASSEMBLIES TO SAIDSUCTION AND PRESSURE MANIFOLDS, RESPECTIVELY; AN ELONGATED VERTICALLYDISPOSED CHAMBER MEMBER INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PRESSURE DUCT AND SAIDPRESSURE MANIFOLD VALVE BALL; A SHUTTER MOVABLE IN SAID CHAMBER MEMBERBY AIR FLOWING UPWARDLY THERETHROUGH, SAID CHAMBER HAVING A RESTRICTEDOUTLET AT ITS UPPER END CLOSABLE BY SAID VALVE BALL TO PROVIDE AN AIRPRESSURE BLAST OF LIMITED QUANTITY AND DURATION; EACH AIR DISTRIBUTORHAVING A NORMAL REST POSITION PROVIDING A CONSTANT SUCTION THROUGH ITSCONNECTED NOZZLE; A GOALKEEPER NOZZLE ASSEMBLY MOUNTED AT EACH END OFSAID GAME SURFACE AND ROTATABLE ABOUT A VERTICALLY DISPOSED AXIS; MEANSMOUNTING SAID GOALKEEPER ASSEMBLY FOR LATERAL SLIDING MOVEMENT ACROSS AGOAL AREA OF SAID GAME SURFACE; AND EXTERNALLY OPERABLE MEANS FORRAISING A PLAYING BALL UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID GAME SURFACE.